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My Firs Draft

I started working on my fiction novel again. To get back to the idea of how the story should flow, I went back to read some drafts and notes I had on the characters and the background of the story. I found many things I had forgotten, that are crucial to my story. I also found things that even when I wrote it and loved it, and thought it would be good for the story, now I find no place for it in it. Others I found to just not be good material period. And so, I started doing some cleaning on my files, trashing drafts that aren’t important and keeping those with the good stuff. However, there was one draft that I thought it was kind of charming and naive in my approach to lure the reader. It is one of my very first drafts, from when I started to write my story in a more serious manner. I’m talking about two to three years back… yeah I know, I have not been able to finish my story in all these years. But like I said on a previous post, it might even take me longer to finish. It’s all right, I don’t give up easily. I’ll do my best.

Anyway, here is the draft I will keep –for sentimental values only- but never use. I wish to share it, as in a way to acknowledge my failures. So that I never forget how I first started; that even if I get better, I will know where it all came from.

Feel free to critic and trash or love it. Even when I’m not going to use it because I myself think it’s not good enough, still, I would love to have feedback on it.

Keep in mind though; it was intended to be a prolog. Whether it does the trick of hooking the reader or not, it doesn’t matter anymore since I have decided on a different approach for my opening, one definitely better… and shorter, hehe.

Prolog

Before I start telling the story of Hannah or Nina -as to why the two names, I would get to it later- I most confess how difficult it has been for me to come to this decision. Not difficult because of the obvious complications that she encountered (there will never be a story without complications), or because of the drama of a teenage girl torn between two worlds. Not even, because this girl had to sacrifice her self to save a nation when all she wanted to do was go home. I say it has been difficult, because this story is not like any other story you have ever known before.

Now, let’s be realistic, I wouldn’t blame you for stopping right here and never giving it a glance again, for I’m sure you have heard this, many times before. I’m sure others have started their own stories with lines like this one, or similar. I can picture them sitting in front of you, with a solemn look on their faces; or even writing it for you like I’m doing myself, and staring their first paragraph with a “My story is one that will blow your mind away like no other has” line; or “You will never hear a story like the one I have to tell you”; or even “I have something to tell which I’m sure no other person in this world could ever begin to imagine” . I have said the same thing, and I may be losing you, I may be turning off your interest. It’s even more possible that you were never interested to begin with. But as much as I would like to be unique, I can not come up with a better way to describe what I’m about to reveal other than the typical “you have never heard of before” line. Why? Because this story, is a true story.

In all probability, you are already thinking of something surreal, maybe even supernatural. I will not lie to you, it does have some sort of supernaturalism to it, however much I would like to think of it in another way; because, to really describe it as being supernatural is kind of a complex matter. Allowed me to explain myself; This story is supernatural not because it deals with spiritual beings and yet it deals with the soul. Nevertheless, it is supernatural because it is something beyond our comprehension of what really is natural. Beyond our ideals, or our views of the world, or knowledge of life. Something that transcends the laws of nature and yet it will leave you doubting if it really did; for what really is natural in a world full of mysteries? We will never know.

Now that I have stated some facts and opinions, I can stop and think; meditate on the reason why I finally decided to tell the story. This story that I thought wanted to keep hidden within me and never tell. Still, as much as I have come to terms with myself and made my decision of telling, I fear it could be the wrong thing to do. Why should I bequeath you the burden of knowing so much? Maybe we were all born to know just what is necessary to live our lives; that amount of knowledge that will make us wise just enough. But after considering my reason, I believe I’m still given one last mission; to give the truth.

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10 thoughts on “My Firs Draft”

Good luck on your novel. It is such a difficult thing to do. I have a great novel idea that I work on occassionally, but self doubt and time constraints usually shoot it out of the sky. Good luck.
-Josh

Thank you so much for your words Josh. It means a lot, and you probably know what I mean when I say that. It is hard, very hard. Even harder when you lack skills, like myself. I understand what you mean by self doubt and having no time, it happens to me too.
Thanks again for your comment.🙂

You know how many times I have told you that you have an amazing talent and incredibly unique imagination to create amazing stories but I have also told you as your friend and because I love you I can say this to you – your problem is that you start one project and your imagination explodes so much that you get more ideas to create other projects and you never actually finish one. Try to focus on finishing one story before you begin another one, make it your absolute goal to finish it by a certain time frame. Im sure you can create wonders with your writing because your good at what you do, but remember a “half-finish book” is as good a no book at all.

Seriously I still want to know what happens in “The Lost City of Jade” the armies, the creatures, the drama between past lives, all great elements that have stayed in my mind and make yearn for the rest of the story – so please finish it so I can enjoy it already!!!

Well if you must know, I have not left the story since we talked about it last. This is the same story, the city of Jade and all of what you have mentioned. However, what has changed is the way I tell the story. Right now, I got me a better and more solid plot than what I had.
Like I said, this is juts a draft on the opening of the story, and I will not use it as it is since I have other plans. But, again, this is the same story. I will finish it, before I start anything new.

Thank you for your words my friends, and all the support and the love. I appreciate it!🙂